M8 to close overnight across two November weekends as Glasgow Airport warns of "significant" delays
Sections of the motorway between Kinning Park and Dumbreck will shut on the weekends of November 7–8 and 14–15 for footbridge works, with all 16 lanes closed on the second weekend.
A footbridge over the M8 in Glasgow. Works on two footbridges near Kinning Park and Dumbreck will close sections of the motorway over two weekends this month. · Photograph: Stephen Sweeney (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Passengers travelling to and from Glasgow Airport are being warned to expect significant delays this month, as sections of the M8 – the busiest stretch of motorway in Scotland – close overnight across two consecutive weekends for essential bridge works.
The closures, being carried out by roads operator Amey, will take place near Kinning Park and Dumbreck on the city's south side, between Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, and again between Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15.
The works concern the Cornwall Street and Kirkwood Street footbridges, which span the motorway between junction 21 at Seaward Street and junction 23 for Dumbreck.
What closes on the first weekend
From 6pm on Saturday, November 7, the M8 eastbound will close between junction 24 at Helen Street and junction 22 at Plantation, along with the eastbound on-slip at Helen Street.
The westbound main and secondary carriageways will also be shut between those junctions, as will the westbound secondary on-slip at junction 21.
The closures will remain in place until 1pm on Sunday, November 8. The M77 will be unaffected in both directions throughout that weekend.
All 16 lanes shut on the second weekend
The second weekend of works is the more disruptive of the two. All 16 lanes of the M8 will close from 6pm on Saturday, November 14 until 1pm on Sunday, November 15.
That closure will affect eastbound traffic between junctions 24 and 22, and drivers heading westbound between junction 20 at the Kingston Bridge and junction 24.
Closures will also be in place on the M77 northbound from junction 1, including the on-slip – meaning traffic coming into the city from the south will also be diverted.
Airport warning
Glasgow Airport has told travellers to allow extra time for their journeys, and several bus routes serving the airport will be diverted while the work is under way.
A Glasgow Airport spokesperson said: "Significant delays are expected across the surrounding road network and diversion routes. As such, passengers travelling to and from the airport during this time are advised to plan ahead and allow extra travel time."
Passengers planning to use the new Citylink 903 service have been told that route will not be affected by the M8 closures.
Why it matters
The stretch of the M8 between the Kingston Bridge and the Paisley-bound junctions carries traffic from across the west of Scotland, including commuters, freight and airport traffic. Even overnight closures can have knock-on effects on surrounding streets in Kinning Park, Ibrox, Govan and Pollokshields as drivers follow diversions.
Anyone with an early-morning flight on the Sunday of either weekend, or travelling home late on the Saturday, is likely to be hardest hit. Drivers are advised to check the latest traffic information before setting off and to consider public transport where possible.
Further details of diversion routes are expected to be signposted on the approach roads before each closure begins.